The cannabis industry took a big leap towards the mainstream earlier this month with the official launch of the world’s first cannabis focused communications firm, AxisWire.

Founded by a seasoned team of cannabis professionals, AxisWire was created in response to the severe lack of access to basic business services that many entrepreneurs take for granted.

Although cannabis is legal in some shape or form in more than half of the United States, many newswire services and public relations firms have refused to do business with anyone associated with the cannabis industry; due primarily to the substance’s Schedule I status and fears of federal interference.

Despite the lack of access, the cannabis industry has flourished nonetheless. According to a report by ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics, the economic impact of the cannabis industry is expected to grow to $40 billion by 2021, leaving plenty of room for savvy operators to fill the void left by traditional communications firms.

“The cannabis industry is on the brink and ripe for a platform that will provide the infrastructure for all cannabis businesses, journalists and PR representatives to be able to access one another and exchange their news,” commented AxisWire founder and CEO, Cynthia Salarizadeh. “After two years of development, our team is confident that AxisWire will stand at the center of all things media for cannabis.”

Conceived of as a one-stop-shop for the cannabis businesses to grow their brand, AxisWire offers a variety PR and marketing tools, like its STAR (Submit To A Reporter) source locator subscription service. With STAR, entrepreneurs hoping to grow their cannabis brand can get connected with journalists looking for expert sources for a small fee.

One of the most powerful tools in AxisWire’s employ is its newswire service. Cannabis brands signed up with AxisWire can have their press releases distributed to over 1,700 targeted journalists and producers at industry specific publications as well as hundreds of publications like Forbes, The Washington Post, CNN, TIME, Business Insider, and VICE. In addition to distributing press releases, AxisWire also offers a service to write them as well.

But it’s not just as simple as sending out a press release and hoping for the best. In many states, like Washington, there is a myriad of confusing rules and regulations regarding cannabis advertising. To help assist their users stay compliant with state law, AxisWire has partnered with the cannabis compliance firm CannaRegs to offer discounted compliance consultations.

In addition to compliance, AxisWire also offers media consultancy services where businesses can learn how to maximize their marketing strategies and increase brand awareness. Led by Evan Nison, the company’s Chief Public Relations Officer and founder of the PR firm Nison Co., AxisWire’s media consultancy team is backed by some of the best PR and marketing minds in the business; with experience ranging from Fortune 500 Companies to small businesses.

In a statement, AxisWire Chief Marketing Officer of AxisWire and Founder of Wick & Mortar, Jared Mirsky, said that the creation of of AxisWire was a no-brainer and expressed excitement at bringing the new platform online.

“It only makes sense that something like this should exist, especially given the fact most traditional marketing methods aren’t so traditional for the cannabis industry,” explained Jared Mirsky Chief Marketing Officer of AxisWire and Founder & CEO of Wick & Mortar. “We are forced to be even more creative in our approach and often rely on so-called ‘cannabis marketers’ to help move our brands. I am extremely excited to bring this platform to the forefront for my clients and the industry, and proud to be part of this new venture with AxisWire and our team of cannabis industry leaders.”

The Green Market Report focuses on the financial news of the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Our target approach filters out the daily noise and does a deep dive into the financial, business and economic side of the cannabis industry. Our team is cultivating the industry’s critical news into one source and providing open source insights and data analysis